Libya Parliament Calls for Polls before Feb 2018

Libya’s parliament wants presidential and legislative elections to be held within a year, keeping up its rejection of a UN-backed unity government in Tripoli, a spokesman said Wednesday.

The legislative body based in Libya’s far east has asked for polling before February 2018, Fathi al-Mrimi told the LANA news agency loyal to the eastern authorities.

The legislature, elected in 2014 and backed by military strongman Khalifa Haftar, has refused to recognize the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA).

Parliament speaker Aguila Salah has written to Libya’s electoral commission asking for elections.

“In view of the difficult conditions the country is going through and the current political chaos, we ask you to take all the necessary measures to prepare holding presidential and parliamentary elections before February 2018,” he said.